OVER THE past couple of weeks, local designers and seamstresses have been busy creating one-of-a-kind costumes for some of the 62 powerful women who have volunteered to perform on the 'Powerful Women Perform for Charity' show set for Sunday, May 30 at the Alfred Sangster Auditorium at the University of Technology (UTech), St. Andrew.
In fact, for the first time in the four-year staging of the event, this year there will be two shows at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. both of which will showcase a similar full-length programme.
According to the chairman of the organising committee of the show, Thyra Heaven, the decision was taken to hold two shows because of the popularity of the calendar event.
"The last show at the Alfred Sangster Auditorium was oversubscribed and resulted in standing room only. As public support for the shows grows each year, we try to ensure the comfort of our patrons by giving them a choice of show times, among other things. This year also we shall be putting in cooling facilities in the auditorium for both shows," said Mrs. Heaven.
The number of performers has again increased this year, with several newcomers having been added to the list. "This means that the programme will feature a wider variety of talents this time around," said Mrs. Heaven.
NEW PERFORMERS
Among the new performers already confirmed are: Audrey Hinchcliffe, Marjorie Chev-annes-Campbell, Ionie Ramsay-Nelson, Jevene Bent, Sandra Phillips and Dr. Julie Meeks-Gardner. They will join several show favourites such as Minister of Education Maxine Henry-Wilson, Glynnis Salmon, Ambassador Madge Barrett, Hyacinth Bennett, Fay Pickers-gill, Blossom O'Meally-Nelson and Carol Francis, among others.
Already, the performers have been feverishly rehearsing three times a week to get their steps right and voices tuned for the big day, with the help of Errol Lee and the Bare Essentials Band, which will be this year's backing band. Bert Rose and Company will be choreographing and producing the shows.
In the meantime, a number of the performers will be paying a visit to the Mustard Seed Communities operations at 1 Mahoe Drive on Tuesday, May 18 to view the improvements that have been made to the facilities housing abandoned children with proceeds from the shows over the past four years. So far about $4.5 million has been raised by the Powerful Women shows to assist the Mustard Seed Communities' charities.
